


Second Most Powerful Man in the World, The

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, Drama, Episode: s02e11 The Leadership Breakfast, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-26
Updated: 2006-08-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:50:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15111200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "Don't pretend to be ignorant...sheet slapping sells a lot more papers than bill signings."





	Second Most Powerful Man in the World, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

“You want to tell me how the Karen Cahill thing got so out of control?”

“I would if I knew what you were talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb with me. Forcing Josh to go to Ben and Sally’s and apologize for you. Josh sending Sam because he was afraid. Sam making one mistake and convincing Donna to fix it. Donna dropping her underwear like a tasteless episode of I Love Lucy. Donna pleading with Charlie to save her tarnished name. Does that jog your memory?”

“Oh that, right. None of that would have happened if Josh would have done what I told him to do.”

“It would not have happened if you would have apologized yourself.”

“That might be so.” Leo reasoned. “But it also might not be.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I don’t know. You are the one who brought up Karen which seems silly to me since we are half naked and I could care less about her.”

“What do you care about?”

“How good your neck tastes.” Leo nibbled on her skin. “How that perfume you wear drives me bananas.”

“White Shoulders.”

“Mmm, that’s it. My piano teacher used to wear it.”

“You fantasized about your piano teacher?”

“Mrs. Appleton, you're damn right. But it smells really sexy on you baby.”

“Mmm hmm. You need to apologize to Karen.”

“I will handle that. I promise.”

They were quiet for a while, lying in the spoon position on Leo’s very comfortable couch. Who knew a hotel could truly have all the comforts of home? It was her first night at the Watergate with him and CJ liked it too much already. They had a lovely dinner and dessert; they could now relax without ever having to lift a finger. Excellent indeed.

“Let’s have dinner out Friday night.” Leo said.

“Where?”

“Anywhere. Where do you want to go?”

“Somewhere I am not going to brush elbows with Senators. I'm not just saying that because I don’t want anyone to see us either.”

“Who says it has to be DC? We can drive to Arlington or even Bethesda. Oh, I know, drive to Baltimore and have a nice night at the Harbor.”

“Leo…”

“There are excellent restaurants there; they’ve really cleaned up in the last couple of years.”

“Leo, I don’t know.”

“What? We can drive down Friday and make a weekend of it. They even have ice skating there…I know you have been dying to strap on some ice skates.”

“Yeah, but…” CJ sighed and sat up. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” He said.

“There seems to be a lot of that tonight. We cannot just go out and do whatever we want.”

“Why not? I'm not married anymore Claudia Jean; we can be together.”

“But I don’t…”

“What are you saying to me?”

She turned to look at him.

“Leo, you know I love you.”

“Damn the preface; just say what you need to.”

“No matter what I will come out of this looking bad.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Oh doesn’t it? You're hardly divorced. Do you really think people will believe we just started seeing each other last month?”

“What the hell do we care what people think?”

“You will care when it reflects badly on the President. You will care when the pressroom becomes a circus, when our romance eclipses the agenda. Don’t pretend to be ignorant… sheet slapping sells a lot more papers than bill signings. We won't even get into Ann Stark and the Republican spin on this. I will become a whoring, home wrecking ladder climber before you can say Sunday shows. You will be the man who thinks with his dick, seduced by the home wrecker. Our friends and family don’t even know and I am not going to let them find out in the New York Post. What are you thinking?”

“I am thinking that I want to spend a nice weekend with you. CJ, we don't have to do this anymore. We don’t have to be a dirty secret.”

CJ sighed again and got up from the couch. She lit a cigarette, nervously pacing the room. Now was not the time for this discussion. It had been a long few days and CJ had been looking forward to the night off. With Josh’s traumas over the holidays, the couple had no time for each other. Leo hoped they would ring in the new year together but CJ accepted Donna’s party invitation to quell any possible suspicion. She did not invite the Chief of Staff.

“We have a chance for the real thing now. If you don’t want it CJ, just say so.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don’t know!” she exclaimed.

“I think you do know. Don’t be afraid to tell me; I can handle it.”

“Don’t pretend to know what is in my head. You have no idea.”

“I don’t want to fight, I know that. If you don’t want to have a special weekend then we won't. To hell with it.”

Leo got up too, going to the refrigerator for a Coke.

“I don't want to fight.” CJ whispered.

“Well, we can agree on that. Come and sit down baby. You can tell me whatever you need to. It’s been that way from the beginning and it is not about to change.”

She sat beside him on the couch, trying to ignore the heavy tension suddenly in the room like a fog. CJ put out her cigarette.

“I'm scared that it won't work Leo.”

“What?”

“Us. In public, for the whole world to see. Sure, we could fudge the dates but people are going to talk. Our friends are going to talk. I just don’t…this was never supposed to happen.”

“I was supposed to stay married and our affair would fizzle. Was that the scenario?”

“Pretty much. Love was not in the equation.”

“You still love me?”

CJ saw the fear and doubt in his eyes as he asked the question. Hurting him was not in the equation either.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t want to be a secret anymore Claudia Jean. We reveal our relationship or we stop.”

“Don't I get a say?” she asked. “I don’t want ultimatums.”

“Of course you do.”

“I want you Leo; more than anything. However, this is not about love. All my life I wanted to be somebody. I worked really hard, and sacrificed a lot to get where I am today. I can't let my love for you destroy that. It will just make me hate you and that would destroy me. My career is everything to me and I can't lose it.”

Leo nodded; he really understood that. He had his career…the Bartlet Administration was the end. This was just the beginning for the bright, energetic girl from Dayton. The whole world was CJ’s oyster; what right did he have to ask her to give it up. He reached for her hand, but CJ moved away. She hugged herself instead.

“I guess it is better to have this conversation now instead of later huh?”

“I should have told you a year ago when Jenny left. I just…I wanted you all to myself. I need to apologize for that.”

Leo shook his head.

“No apologies, remember? Sometimes the hardest thing to do may be the right thing.”

“I need to go home.” CJ got up and rushed toward the bedroom. She had to change out of Leo’s underwear and tee shirt into something presentable.

“I wish you wouldn’t.”

“We’ll say one more time, and we will be ‘one more timing’ for the next couple of years. I'm sorry Leo.”

She flew past him like a gale force wind; Leo managed to get hold of her wrist.

“I don’t know how we will work this out but we will. Please don’t leave. I love you.”

“I love you too.” CJ’s voice cracked. “That’s why I'm doing this.”

CJ grabbed her purse, throwing in various items scattered across the suite. She put on her coat and went out the door without another word. Leo just stood in the middle of the floor, unable to move. Downstairs in the cab, CJ lost it. She sobbed all the way back to her apartment and cried herself to sleep. Her cell phone rang five times but she ignored it. There was nothing left to say; this was the way it was going to be. The sobs racked her body, even in her sleep, but CJ knew she had done the right thing. There was nothing for the two of them outside the fantasy world they created. The Administration was real…their love a simple fairy tale.

Across town, alone in bed, Leo had a sleepless night. She was supposed to be there; her body wrapped around him. She would tease him some more about Karen Cahill and giggle when he kissed the right spot on her neck. He didn’t think, no he knew, that he could not live without her. She had been there from the beginning and she knew him. When all hell broke loose she was still there. She loved him, held him, and kept him from losing his mind. Now that things were good and they had a real chance at a future, she ran. Where had it all gone wrong?

He grabbed his cell phone, dialing her number once more. It was after midnight and he did not think she would answer but there were some things he needed to get off his chest.

‘CJ Cregg can't take you call right now. Please leave a message.’

BEEP! “You are right about a lot of things. The press is going to draw blood and I don’t see the people we love initially being supportive of us. They will get used to it though, everybody, they won't have a choice. I love you and I am not giving up on us. I never thought you would either. And I'm sorry if I was supposed to stay married and we were supposed to stay casual, but hell I loved you then. We have to fight for this because when all the professional triumphs fade away, what are we left with. I don’t want to be alone…I want to be with you. Please baby, fight for this. Please.”

***


End file.
